anywhere else. Very much, however, is Mr. Rost's own; and the most important parts of the work,-the arrangements of meanings and the remarks upon construction, proceed plainly from the author's own careful study and laborious collections.

A comparison of the way in which single words are handled by the two lexicographers would here find its appropriate place. But as our limits forbid us to enter into this comparison at any length, and as one or two words would hardly serve as samples of the general execution, we will forbear to add any examples, and only assure our readers that we have made such a comparison in a number of instances, and have arisen from it with great satisfaction as to the results of Mr. Rost's labors.

In the etymological part, where Passow is far behind the present state of learning, Rost has not advanced much beyond him. We are sorry for this, and it seems quite unnecessary: for if Mr. Rost has not given his attention to the light thrown upon the roots of the Greek by those who have studied Sanscrit, the Teutonic and other kindred dialects in the present age, such as Bopp, Grimm, Eichhoff and Schlegel, surely some one of his friends might have furnished him with the necessary information. Another defect we find, in the trifling way, in which the New Testament significations are disposed of. Under yylos the author remarks, "the prophets and apostles," and in general the teachers of the church, are so called in the New Testament and in ecclesiastical writers, as announcing the divine word in Philo, and ecclesiastical writers especially, the angels." As though the meaning angels were not found in the New Testament, where it is by far the commonest of all, whilst the word there assumes, also, in several places, the ordinary sense of a messenger, and scarcely ever adopts the only meaning which Rost mentions, viz. that of a religious messenger. It were better to confine the Lexicon to the heathen writers than to treat the words of the New Testament in this perfunctory manner.

W.

13.-Tecumseh, or the West Thirty years Since. A Poem, by George H. Colton. New-York: Wiley & Putnam, 1842. We are sorry to be called on to express an opinion of this Poem before it is fully published. It is to be comprised in a single volume, of about 300 pages. Only 175 pages have been handed us, in sheets. The balance is yet in the press, to be brought out in a few days. The whole is to consist of eight

cantos. What we have in hand we have read, every word of it,-five cantos and a part of the sixth,—and it has whetted our appetite for the rest. It is an epic, the design of which is to set forth the almost universal rallying of the North American Indians, by one united and desperate onset, to avenge upon the white men the injuries they had inflicted upon the aboriginal race. Tecumseh is represented as the master spirit of his age, with indomitable zeal, courage and perseverance, rousing the different and distant tribes to a sense of their wrongs, and urging them, one and all,

"by their fathers slain,

No more in voiceless peace remain;
For better crushed by trampling Fate,
Than exiled, scorned and desolate."

Battles are described as moved and energized by this spirit of revenge, and the whole is intermingled with glowing descriptions of natural scenery and incidents of the most touching character. As these sheets are accompanied with no explanatory notes, and as we cannot see the end from the beginning, we can only say of the concealed plan of the poem, that it develops handsomely thus far, and gives promise of a catastrophe, of no ordinary interest and magnitude. The theme is purely American and of great historical interest. It is well worthy of the highest effort of poetic genius; and the author, though young and "unknown to fame," has certainly exhibited an elevation and strength of conception, and a boldness and beauty of imagery, which would do honor to a much more practised hand.

14.-Meditations and Addresses on the subject of Prayer. By

the Rev. Hugh White, A. M., Curate of St. Mary's Parish, Dublin. New York: Robert Carter, 1842. 237 pp. This is the first American, from the tenth Dublin edition. It is the result of the author's pious reflections in a state of health which compelled him to suspend, for a season, his active labors, as a pastor. It breathes a deeply evangelical spirit, and exhibits enlightened and practical views of a duty in respect to which, as its obligations are universal, "men ought always" and evermore to be instructed. It discusses the subject under the following heads; "Importance of prayer," "Nature of prayer," "Caution on the subject of prayer,"-" Reverence and freedom in prayer," "Humility and confidence in prayer,"

"Watchfulness and dependence in prayer," "Prayer for temporal blessings," Intercessory prayer,' praise."

99 66

"Thanksgiving and

15.-Norway and the Norwegians; or Feats on the Fiord. A Tale. By Harriet Martineau. New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1842. pp. 180.

This neat little volume surpasses our expectations in value and interest. It is partly fact and partly fiction, which are so woven together as to present a more striking and comprehensive view, than any isolated narrative could furnish, of the manners, character and superstitions of the Norwegians. The reader who begins will be almost certain to finish the book; and he will rise from its perusal, feeling, not only that he has been entertained, but instructed. He will be conscious that he now possesses an acquaintance with real life in those hyperborean regions, though derived from descriptions of scenes and events, which, perhaps, have never been witnessed in the precise order in which they are here presented.

16. A Demonstration of the Authority and Wisdom of Punishment by Death for Murder. By Rev. George B. Cheever. New-York: M. W. Dodd, 1842.

We have observed with interest the arguments lately put forth in England, in defence of capital punishment for the crime of murder; and we cannot regard with indifference the circumstances, among ourselves, which have enlisted the pens of several American divines on the same subject. Recent endeavors, in the Legislature, to change the laws of the State of New-York, have rendered it a topic of special interest to her citizens. Many clergymen have preached on the subject, and several have published single discourses. Mr. Cheever has attempted a more labored and extended argument. He defends the authority and wisdom of capital punishment for murder on the grounds of Scripture and expediency. In conducting the Scripture argument, he maintains the correctness of the common translation of the passage in Genesis,-"Whoso sheddeth man's blood," etc.,-considers the circumstances of the human. race when this ordinance was promulgated, its universality and comprehensiveness, the Mosaic statutes respecting it, its confirmation in the New Testament, and the consentaneousness of Divine Providence. In respect to the final causes of the ordinance, the author regards its bearing upon the principles of the Divine government as one of the most important

branches of the subject. The whole discussion is conducted with ingenuity and adroitness, and with a thoroughness of research which is highly creditable to the author. We recommend it as well suited to correct and settle the views of candid inquirers, whose compassion for even the guilty, under suffering, has shaken their confidence in principles of government which are demanded both by the authority of God and the best interests of human society.

ADDITIONAL NOTICES.

Capital Punishment, sustained by Reason and the Word of God; being the substance of a Sermon preached in the Spring-street Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William Patton, D. D. New York. Dayton and Newman, 1842. The questions raised in this Sermon are: Whether man has any right to take away the life of the irrational creature, or of man; which, on the ground of certain grants and ordinances the author answers in the affirmative; and states several things obviously forbidden in the sixth Commandment. The argument is brief and well stated. The Juvenile Naturalist; or Walks in the Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. By B. H. Draper. New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1842. 2 Vols. pp. 237, 232. These little volumes are in the publishers' best style of printing and binding, and are illustrated with numerous engravings. They are among the very best books for the young which we have seen. earnestly recommend them to the attention of parents, who would provide for their children objects of thought tending to their elevation and improvement.

We

Its ob

Our Country; its Capabilities, its Perils, and its Hope. Being a Plea for the early establishment of Gospel Institutions in the Destitute Portions of the United States. Published by the Executive Committee of the American Home Missionary Society. New York, 1842. This is a pamphlet of sixty pages. ject is "to presnt a condensed view of the facts which constitute our country's claim, on all her sons, to promote the moral improvement of Society at home." Its statistics are authentic and accurate, and its argument cumulative and irresistible.

SECOND SERIES, VOL. VII. NO. II.

21

ARTICLE XI.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

Germany.

DR. PLUCKER has been appointed professor at Bonn in the place of Dr. Augusti. Dr. H. A. G. Hävernick, recently professor extraordinary at Rostock, has been made professor of theology at Königsberg. The Library of the University of Tubingen has just received a valuable accession in the department of Oriental MSS.; the Arabic, Persian, and Turkish MSS., which belonged to Prof. Schulz, (who was killed in Kurdistan, in 1829,) have been added to the collection. Dr. Wuttke of the University of Leipsic has discovered and published a manuscript Autobiography of Christian Wolff; the editor has appended as Essay on the philosophy of Wolff, with a part of his correspondence. Among the recent publications of Germany, we notice Luther's complete works, Vol. XXX, containing a portion of his polemical writings; Umbreit's Practical Commentary on the Prophets of the Old Testament, Vol. I., it being Part I. of his Commentary on Isaiah; the Life and Works of Melancthon by Matthes; Kar! Otfried Müller's History of Greek Literature to the Age of Alexander, from a MS. of the author by Dr. Ed. Müller.

Holland.

According to the latest account which we have seen of the Dutch Universi ties, they had 1397 students; in Leyden there were 634, in Utrecht, 484. Of this number, 323 were studying theology; 502, jurisprudence; 366, medicine; 65, natural science; 141, philosophy.

United States.

George A. Peters proposes soon to publish, at the office of the American Bibli cal Repository, a new work in one volume, to be denominated, "The Principles of Esthetics, in their application to Literature," or the "Elements of Literary Taste." By Rev. Charles B. Hadduck, Professor of Intellectual Philosophy and English Literature in Dartmouth College, Hanover, N. H. For a specimen of the work, see Article VI, present No. of the Repository.

John S. Taylor & Co., New-York, have in press, and will publish in a few days, Prof. Gaussen's work on " Theopneusty, or Plenary Inspiration of the Bible," translated from the French by Rev. E. N. Kirk. It will be in one vol ume of about 300 pages. For an account of the original work, see Biblical Repository of July last. Wiley & Putnam, New-York, are preparing for immediate republication, "A Dictionary of Science, Literature, and Arts; comprising the history, description, and scientific principles of every branch of human knowledge," etc., illustrated with engravings. Edited by W. T. Brande, F. R. S. and Joseph Cauvin, Esq. It will appear in 24 parts, at 25 cents each. Allen, Morrill and Wardwell, propose to publish, at the Codman press, Andover, Sermons and Literary Remains of Rev. William Bradford Homer, late Pastor of the Cong. Church, South Berwick, Me. Edited, with a Memoir, by Rev. E. A. Park, Professor in the Theol. Sem., Andover. Jonathan Leavitt and J. F. Trow, of New-York, will publish in April, a beautiful reprint of Hahn's edition of the Greek New Testament, superintended by E. Robinson, D. D.